Pay for your inventory.

[Adire]

Let me put it another way: I've spent many times my subscription cost for FFXIV on the hardware I bought specifically for playing the game: specialized mouse and keyboard, new monitor with faster GtG response, upgrading to a GTX 970, and so on. And I plan to keep upgrading my hardware as time goes on (e.g. to 4K when that technology is mature).

Another $8 a month for 4 more retainers isn't going to change my FFXIV-related spending much. YMMV, but at least appreciate that spendy people like me keep Yoshida-san's corporate overlords happy.

Just remember, nickle and dimeing can cost you more in the long run that up front, one time large costs. And spending a lot may keep the corporate suits happy, but remember, they are not looking out for your best interests. And in the end, they get their way if customers allow it.

The more they realize you're willing to spend on things that would have otherwise been covered by subscription fees, the more they'll lock content behind paywalls, and the more you'll have to pay for less content, since cost cutting is also part of making money as a business. They will push your limits, and until you draw a line, they will continue.

If customers are willing to pay twice as much money for half as much content as they used to get, this is what corporate suits will want. This is why we get so much less value from DLC these days in games in general, and why we now have cash shops and such in Pay to play games when previously such a thing was out of the question.